Engineering Techniques for Nondestructive Quality Evaluation of Agricultural Products¹

A number of nondestructive methods have been developed to detect defects and evaluate physical characteristics associated with quality of agricultural products. The methods involve the application of a well-characterized source of energy (such as x-rays, light, infrared radiation, or sonic energy) to the test object. Because of the composition and condition of the material, the input energy is modified in some unique manner. The difference between the input energy and energy response can be measured and recorded, and may provide a basis for development of empirical relations and correlations for assessing quality-related factors. This paper reviews some of the nondestructive techniques which have been developed for testing agricultural products.